Caleb Scharf Wins Carl Sagan Medal for Public Science Communication

To celebrate this honor, bestowed by the American Astronomical Society, enjoy some of our favorite Caleb Scharf stories. [View in browser]( | [Become a member](   Did a friend forward this? [Subscribe here](. Dear Nautilus Reader, What a thrill it is to share the news: Caleb Scharf, director of astrobiology at Columbia University, a frequent Nautilus contributor, and a member of our editorial board, has won the Carl Sagan Medal for Public Science Communication. It’s quite the honor. The American Astronomical Society [awards the prize]( to “scientists whose efforts have significantly contributed to a public understanding of, and enthusiasm for, planetary science.” We like to think Caleb’s writing for Nautilus over the years has done exactly that. Photo credit: Nerissa Escanlar “Like so many of the current generation of scientists, I was in awe of Cosmos as a youngster, and later in awe of Sagan’s vibrant and compelling prose in his many books and articles,” Caleb wrote in an email. “I think he was able to articulate what so many of us feel, that there isn’t just poetry in a rational view of the world—it is a doorway to a way of existence that can be endlessly rewarding and meaningful, where the mysteries of the universe are things to wrap yourself in, rather than to fear. For scholars and writers to be able to experiment with their expression of these ideals in a publication like Nautilus is a very real gift that I am extremely grateful for.” To celebrate, join us in revisiting some of our favorite stories from Caleb. Go with him on a [guided tour]( of one of the Webb Telescope’s new images; see why the universe is calling quits on [star-making](; consider who’s in control—[our data, or us?]( And more. For full access to Caleb’s writing for Nautilus, [become a member today](. Experience the endless possibilities and deep human connections that science offers [SUBSCRIBE TO NAUTILUS](   Stories from Caleb Scharf   [ASTRONOMY]( [A Mirror of Our Best Selves]( An astrobiologist annotates what we are seeing in this James Webb Space Telescope image. BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   [TECHNOLOGY]( [The Worrisome Rise of NFTs]( An astrobiologist says non-fungible tokens do not bode well for our species’s future. BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   [ASTRONOMY]( [The Universe Has Already Made Almost All the Stars It Will Ever Make]( Black holes are cosmic dimmers. BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   [TECHNOLOGY]( [The Selfish Dataome]( Does the data we produce serve us, or vice versa? BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   [ARTS]( [What Is Life?]( An astrobiologist finds the heart of his work in a new novel by Richard Powers. BY CALEB SCHARF [Continue reading →](   Today’s newsletter was written by Brian Gallagher   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2022 NautilusNext, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the newsletter from nautil.us. Our mailing address is: NautilusNext 360 W 36th Street, 7S, New York, NY 10018 Don't want to hear from us anymore? Click here to [unsubscribe]( .